Tera's eyes grew enormous at the site of food, and she took the loaf graciously. "Thank you so much!" She said hungrily.Be careful it could be a trick."Pipe down I'm eating." She commanded the voice. Suddenly realizing that she was speaking aloud. "Oh, um.." Turning towards the woman, "I don't remember if we have met." She thought about it as she chewd on a chunk of bread. "Oh, I forgot, my name is Tera." She gave a smile to the group of strangers. FOOL! be more cautious, they may know who you are!"I would love to have some company." replying to the cleric's question "At least untill I can find somplace to stay."Good, make them unaware of your goalsI'm not going on your stupid quest, leave me out of this! she felt yelling would give her more curious looks, like the ones she had recieved many times before.

I suppose it is a foolish thing to ask, but are you intending to find out who she or the white haired one serve?"Not particularly. Told you before-"Yes, yes, I know, you do not care. Of all the bearers I could have chosen, you.She ignored the reproof and suspected insult. "So. I suppose we're all bound for the same place, and we might as well go together. For those of you who came in late, I'm Ree." She looked at Tera again. She was now sure that she'd seen the girl somewhere before. "Anyway."

"Accompany, yes." A faint grin crosses Kiel's face, and he bows to everyone. "I am Kiel, and I bear Time with me." He glances towards Ree, and smirks. "Destiny or Fate - this is one of the simplest routes towards where we're all headed, really. I imagine a few other groups are forming, like water pooling before it spills down the next slope."

That, and like attracts like - even if foe. Likely we'll see more 'ere we reach the Temple. Do try to find out who these others bear - I wouldn't like to be stuck here with you having been knifed in the back.

Logged

"I grab the sword!""Mmkay, you're dead.""What!?""You just grabbed the sword of the god you were just personally responsible for banishing from the world for the next ten thousand years. You just got zapped by around a billion volts of Angry Divine Power. You're dead."

Dei gave a suspicious look at the two newcomers, but he decided to let them talk amongst themselves. Dark clouds began to move in over the small clearing in the forest. There was no rain nor sound of storm, but the clouds slowly began to increase in darkness. Dei looked up as he felt the presence of another bearer, his iron leaf didn't get hotter, but somehow he sensed the man, merely from feeling the wind.Your powers grow as you get nearer to the temple, I don't know how this man is hiding his presence to the others, but I sense what you do, and I don't think this bearers intentions good.Dei saw a flicker of light in the sky, "Oh s**t!" Dei jumped back, throwing the others with the force of the wind to land several yards away. When the others looked up, a lightning bolt struck the ground where they previously stood. Another bolt hit the ground, leaving no damage, but showing a man, he looked at the group of bearers and merely laughed, then another bolt was preduced that carried the man back upward."Be wary, this bearer is one of evil intent, he sides with no god. We must stand together and fight him." As Dei finished talking the man appeared behind Dei swinging, Dei barely had time to parry the blow of the man's katana, though it knocked Dei off balance. The man was incredibly fast, no doubt was it that he was the bearer of lightning.

Uriel opens his mouth to reply to the 'bearer of time', but his attention averts to the sight of those clouds.

Uriel... Those clouds are no natural occurance...

Uriel, however, was already on the lookout - yes, he was misguided, but he was not an imbecile. However, there is not much he could do at the force of the winds conjured by Dei, and thus he is pushed back to land ungracefully. His body, though, shudders with the shock of the bolt of lightning landing so near. Due to his training, however, he already rises from the ground and, upon noticing the man swinging a sword behind Dei, he lifts his right hand in a waving motion at this person, calling apon the powers of his dark god. Of course, his intentions in doing so were simply to shroud the mans eyes in a sheet of inpenetrable darkness, effectively blinding him. Uriel was a quick-minded person and the way he saw it - what use was incredible speed, which this person seemed to have, if he could not see where he was moving? The spell would only last, perhaps ten seconds, however, but Uriels other hand was also extended, A rod of pure, black shadows congealing in its grip. Once reaching two meters in length, those shadows would gain density, becoming a black, wooden texture and, jutting from both edges - two, faintly curved, black metallic blades.

Ree would have protested being knocked flat on her back, had she not seen the lightning strike. Instead, she merely jumped back up to her feet.'Ware, child, he bears lightning, and his reflexes in all probability will be faster than yours.She didn't reply, there was no time. Uriel was doing something, looked to be useful. Ree drew her own sword, and rushed the man. True to the warning, he leapt out of the way before she could touch him. But he missed her as well. Ree might not care about the politics, but now she was angry. She made a guesture, and threw a ball of flames at the man. A thought occured to her, and she tried it out. It seemed to work. Her sword began to glow with heat.She did not say anything; when she was well and truly furious she rarely did. She merely took another swipe at the fellow.

Kiel rolled to his feet - militia training proved useful for once - with his weapon flashing into being in his hand. A faint, bemused grin danced on his features as pale blue eyes narrowed and focused on the attacker - and the air around the unnamed one seemed to almost gel, as time dragged for him, slowing him down a bit - perhaps enough to be dealt with.

Clever. you could've sped up, you know, to match him. He's still faster than any of you right now.Yes, but I'm not lightning proof. Enough of us attacking him slowed down, and we can likely bring him down. Ree seems to be doing a fair job already.

With a grunt, he hefted his spear - and threw it, like a javelin, at the attacker.

Logged

"I grab the sword!""Mmkay, you're dead.""What!?""You just grabbed the sword of the god you were just personally responsible for banishing from the world for the next ten thousand years. You just got zapped by around a billion volts of Angry Divine Power. You're dead."

Julian blinked to clear his eyes from the afterinage of the lightning. His arm flung out to his side, the twisted staff appearing in it, laid out along his arm. He twists his arm back, up and in, twirling the staff in front of him just in time to knock away an accidental blow from the attacker as this Bearer recoiled from Ree's flames. He noticed that this new man suddenly seemed to slow down and noticed Kiel's momentary concentration on the man; this must be his work. Julian couldn't think of how his powers could help in this instance -combat was never Selene's forte- so he simply kept his staff whirling through the air, preventing the attacker from backing any farther away from Ree and Uriel...

Tera got to her feet as quickly as she could, steadying herself as the others were engaged with this evil bearer. She summoned the light dagger for the first time, and realized it was warm in temperature as well as light. Noticing the man slow down she paused to reexamine her throwing point then whipped the dagger with anger and accuracy, not waiting to see if it hit, but drawing her sword and rushing to join the others in battle. The words of her previous employer rang through her head. "Think not about the outcome of the action, always be ready for failure." She shook her head faintly hoping it would erase her memories. WHAT ARE YOU DOING! The spirit's voice in her head boomed with anger. But Tera didn't care, as she reached the man to engage him, and took a slash at this mysterious person whom seemed intent to kill.

Dei turned as he sat up to see the other three already upon the man. Dei had seen how a common foe banded people together who were so mistrusting at first, many times before. But the enemy was taking their attacks lightly, merely playing with them. Araith didn't want him to get serious with them, so he figured he ought to end this in one attack.

Knowing what Dei was thinking about, Daranis intervened.That attack will seriously drain you, leaving to the mercy of those other three.

I know...but I see no alternative, we must do our worst while he still holds back the full extent of his powers.

Dei took several steps back, and closing his eyes he strained his muscles as well as his mind to summon his attack. The wind rapidly grew in force, until a small whirlwind enveloped Dei's body. Dei was lifted up above the ground, though his body remained steady. The man turned to run, but Deis halberd dug deep into the tree he was about to run by, the man couldn't stop his momentum before running into it. He went down on his back.

The winded picked up more and more, threatening to remove the trees from where they stood. The man, getting up onto his knees, then to his feet, looked back just in time to recieve the attack.

Dei went straight towards the man, almost instantaneously, the whirlwind staying with him. Dei brought his feet up to meet the man's chest, the man had no time to block the attack. The man was sent sprawling backwards, but the whirlwind following him instead of Dei now. The man was shaken violently in a circular motion in the whirlwind, the shear force of the wind started cutting away at his clothing. The man was high in the air when the whirlwind dissapated, throwing the man in the opposite direction of the party.

Dei was thrown on his back, exhausted from his attack. The only words he could utter was "He's still alive!" before blackness enveloped his eyes.

Uriel had stayed back in this battle after attempting to blind the man - thus studying each of his 'allies' fighting styles and skills - He was better when it came to defence, than offense anyway. All the same, once Dei summoned that raging whirlwind, Uriel backed away a pace or two to avoid bieng swept up but the force of the raging winds. He was in awe of this ability, however - he could think of no skill of his own that could be so deadly at his current powers. Once the man had been thrown away, and Dei uttered those words, Uriel skirted forth to the unconscious man, lowering himself and reaching a hand out to check for a pulse. Yes he may be foe, but he could be very useful in future. Upon finding a pulse, however, Uriel raises once more, holding his blackened staff defensively before him - if this man WAS still alive as said, having an immobile person to protect was going to make things even more difficult.

Julian watches all this in amazement. The new girl could certainly throw a knife well and the rest were pretty good with their various weapons as well. Dei's whirlwind attack was immensly impressive and Julian is forced to throw himself backward to avoid being picked up by the raging cyclone. He watches Wind's Bearer drop to the ground and quickly silenced himself and ran toward where the whirlwind had thrown their adversary. He grasps his staff in one hand, hoping that at least some the others will follow. He runs until he can see the attacker. He is lying on the ground, apparently injured, but still obviously breathing; Dei had been correct. He chose to wait a moment before rushing the injured man, looking behind to see if any of the others had followed.

While Julian pauses, Kiel flashes by, his own movement speeded threefold at the least; in his hand is the spear, having returned to his grasp after being thrown.

A rapid spin of the spear poised the mercurial blade over the man's throat, and for a moment Kiel paused, perhaps long enough for someone else to intervene.

Strike! Lay him low before he wakes, that one fewer god will chance being released!

Logged

"I grab the sword!""Mmkay, you're dead.""What!?""You just grabbed the sword of the god you were just personally responsible for banishing from the world for the next ten thousand years. You just got zapped by around a billion volts of Angry Divine Power. You're dead."

Tera jumped back to avoid being swept up in the whirlwind. She turned to see the lightning man thrown as she heard a thud behind her. She spun around to see Dei sprawled upon the ground. "He's still alive!" He gasped before he passed out. She kneeled next to the exhausted man. Do it now, take him out!Tera ignored the voices in her head, concern drawn accross her face. She heard comotion behind her as she turned to look towards the lightning man. Kiel stood over the attacker, with his spear at the man's throat. Stop the death of that man, you must prevent it!She turned her attention back to Dei. "Does anybody have water?" She called out to the others.

Uriel now strides forth, almost at a jogging pace, to where the other man lay - injured and with a spear to his throat. He opens his mouth to speak to spare the mans life, but halts apon the incredible sense of warning within his mind

You must destroy this man! The accursed god of lightning will cause much terror and pain with his electrical discharges, should he be released.

Uriel falters in this - he had always dreamed of killing a foe in a glorious battle, but this? This seemedly defenseless man? Could he really take a life, when he had been spending his entire existence preserving it? A moments more hesitation, before he simply lowers his head slightly, speaking in perhaps a hesitant voice as he addresses Julian. "You must... kill him..." Thus was his gods will, and who was he to argue?

OOC: You can join, but depending on the character, you might not want to jump into the fray right now. But do as you wish.

________________

The bearer of lightning opened his eyes to a spear poised to strike at his throat. The bearer's right arm was limp, completley torn by the wind of Dei's attack, he quickly thought of a hundreds of possible things to do, but could only find one real oppurtunity. The man weakly rose his left are in a weakened state, and started to ask for help, throwing the man off guard, he grabbed the point and sent a jult of electricity through it, putting it's wielder in immense pain. The bearer jumped up and fled with speed of a lightning bolt. Getting far enough away not to be tracked.

Ree figured the others had the strange fellow under control, and dropped her sword to let it cool. Then the man struck suddenly, and fled. Her bow was in her hand in a moment, but he was already too far away to strike. She swore. "He'll be back, I figure," she said to the group at large. Then she turned back to check the injured, after taking a moment to make sure that none of her flames had spread out of control.I do not understand. The god of lightning and I were allies once, yet he tries to kill my bearer, and a few other old allies, if I shouldn't be mistaken."Yeah, well, I'm not surprised. Nothing fails faster than an old alliance when there is new power at stake. I am a little surprised that you didn't say anything about me, you know, trying to kill the guy."You would not have listened, and it would have distracted you, perhaps fatally."Glad to know you're not a fool." She checked on Dei, who seemed to be all right, just exhausted, and she decided that he was in capable enough hands. Then she went to check on the new guy, to see if he was all right.

Julian watches the Bearer of lightning escape, too far away to do anything about it, especially with the attacker's speed. His staff dissipates and he jogs back over to the others, joining them in checking on Dei's condition. Lightning's Bearer is already strong. You will need these others if you are to survive to make it to the Temple.To himself, Julian thinks: "Yeah, yeah, I know. Sound just isn't that powerful when compared to those like Lightning or Fire. Even Wind could decimate me if it came to that."Only perhaps. We have some hidden powers that no one else can defend, let alone expect. You have power in your own right, it just needs to be harnessed and used correctly."Unless anyone has any objections, I suggest we stay here and rest for the night. Lighting would be able to catch up to us regardless of how far we go, and Dei needs some time to recouperate."

-Spiritbearer Information-Name: Lekkme (He no longer remembers his last name.)Age: 620Profession: WandererBrief Description: Lekkme has been inhabited by Rahab, the god of water, for so long, that he has forgotten everything but his purpose as a Spiritbearer. He has come from so far away, and from such a distant past, that he is far-estranged from reality. He is also beginning to take on the aspects of his god. He has a watery cast to his eyes, and scales mail his back and shoulders. The stumps of fins sprout from his shoulders. He wears a dark cloak and robe to hide it.He is a bitter and vicious individual, and he hates the burden given him by Rahab's spirit. He is also lonely, but he fears to reach out, lest others discover his horrible mutation.

-God Information-Name: RahabElement: WaterAppearance: A tall, thin, fish-like humanoid with twin curling horns and a long tail. Great fins adorn its back.Conjured Weapon: TridentArtifact: A small fish of black crystal with eyes of sapphire.

Lekkme surfaced from the surface of the raging cataract, leaping like a fish up to the top of the stream. He rippled forward underneath the surface, crawling along, pulling himself along the stones of the riverbed.

Kiel's spear stabbed dirt, as the lightning-bearer transformed, flashing away as a bolt of lightning into the sky. "d**n!" He wrenched the spear from the dirt, and spun on his heel to face the others. "I think we should go, now. I suddenly have a dark feeling about something soon to pass here."

Logged

"I grab the sword!""Mmkay, you're dead.""What!?""You just grabbed the sword of the god you were just personally responsible for banishing from the world for the next ten thousand years. You just got zapped by around a billion volts of Angry Divine Power. You're dead."

-Spiritbearer Information-Name: Drayen or "Dray"Age: ForgottenProfession: WraithDescription: Most of this Wraith's background is shrouded in unclear rumors, legends, and folklore. It is not even clear what race he really is, or how old he is. The only thing that is certain is that unsolvable deaths have occurred over a long span of years, and no one really knows, though it is rumored, that he did them. To some extent, the rumors may be true, but then again, they might not be. Tales tell of him being immortal. Others say that he simply is a normal human orphan. Whatever the world thinks, Drayen doesn't care. He lives his shadowy life without care. Morals are nonexistent. Rules are made to be broken. He has no normal garb, instead continually shifting his appearance with fluid ease. He can take almost any humanoid form.

After recieving the powers of the Earth God several months ago, the wraith soon began to experience first a wave of powers that were divergant from the ones he possesed. Able to blend into anywhere, go through physical barriers and even summon deathly attacks, utilizing the underworld's energies, Drayen soon found some of his original powers increased, others totally gone. In their place were new abilities that he slowly discovered and learned to harness. It was soon after this period of learning that Ckeli, the Earth God, finally contacted him, appearing as a ghostly grizzly bear while Drayen was shifting between the underworld and the mortal realm.

-God Information-Name: CkeliElement: EarthAppearance: Giant Grizzly Bear with claws sheathed in glittering gold. A ring of silver encircles his head and his entire form seems to have been created from obsidian stone.Conjured Weapon: Obsidian BattleaxeArtifact: Obsidian amulet with a single golden bear claw

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They approach, little spirit. Do as I have commanded and all will go according to my plan.

"You pompous self rightous worthless..."

Enough! If you are able to eliminate my enemies and free me, your rewards will extend far beyond any mortal's wildest dreams..

"You forget yourself, Bear. I am no mere mortal."

Ckeli did not respond. Drayen continued walking along the beaten earth path. For the moment he appeared to be a simple traveler, unarmed and hardly dangeorus to anyone. Beneath his ragged clothing hung the Earth God's amulet. As time passed, the amulet began to warm, warning of the bearers that his god had already said were approaching. Drayen stopped moving and found a spot beneath the shade of a large tree, overlooking the path. In idleness, he began playing with his newfound powers, calling up spheres of molten earth, which he juggled, always keeping an eye on the path.

"These, too, seek your pile-of-rust fane?" Lekkme said."Yes. That one, there, the tall female with one eye. She bears my adversary, the Fire God. She must be...eliminated." Rahab replied sinisterly."So, I suspect, will they all." remarked Lekkme dryly."Yes, my servant." Rahab intoned."I am not your servant, monster. I am your gaoler, and your prison. If I wish, I shall cast your horrid soul to the four winds and be free of you!." Lekkme hissed.Rahab gave a watery chuckle. "The God of the Heavens was right. Hope is the most resilient light in the mortal soul. Perhaps you may have threatened me so six centuries past, but now, both you and I know that I have become as inextricably a part of you as your own heart." Rahab said, his deep voice tinted with amusement."Oh, how well I know, demon." Lekkme spat bitterly.

Lekkme started down the hill, but suddenly stooped to the ground, clasping his head with his webbed, flat hands. The shifting, distorted geometries and colors of the spirit world overlayed themselves over the reasonable patterns of the mortal realm.